The Determination of Humanity as a Theme in Dark Souls
Humanity is a concept that is addressed more directly in Dark Souls. There is an item called Humanity that the player can collect, and consuming this item increases a Humanity statistic. In typical Dark Souls fashion, though, the exact nature of this item and statistic is obfuscated. The player must derive meaning from them by observing how they affect gameplay. First, when the player consumes a Humanity, they will have a significant amount of health restored. Gaining humanity is equated to staying healthy, and thus is equated to being able to keep fighting. This is reinforced by the effect of the Humanity statistic. As this statistic increases, the player’s resistance to various ailments increases. The more humanity a player has, the more they can push through some of the challenges they will face. This idea of facing a challenge in spite of difficulty or bad odds is the core of determination. Those who are determined will continue fighting even after taking damage or falling ill. Humanity, an entity that does these same things in Dark Souls, is thus connected to determination as an attribute. This is supported by the fact that the more Humanity one has, the greater their ability to continue fighting, as though increasing Humanity will also increase one’s determination.
The connection between Humanity and determination is also reinforced by some of the lore the player is given by other characters in the game. By talking to others, the player will begin to pick up on the concept of “going hollow.” It can be gathered that this is a process that is progressed by death and failure. As the player sees many of the characters they have met in their travels go hollow themselves, it becomes apparent that to go hollow means to lose one’s purpose and give up. This may prove curious to players, as by default, the player’s character is considered “hollow.” However, by consuming Humanity at a Bonfire, the player can become human. This item and concept associated with determination is what makes the player human. This may then make one consider the implications of this fact. To be without humanity is to be hollow, and to be hollow is to have given up. In both a literal and metaphorical sense, one’s humanity is what gives them the drive to continue fighting. When one loses this drive, they are no longer considered human. These connections seem to communicate the idea that determination is not just a trait one can have, but a necessary part of being a human.